Sparrowhawk

[Phil.J]

Sparrowhawks are frequent visitors to our garden in South Staffordshire, UK. Usually to take birds from the lawn or snatch one from the feeders, sometimes they just perch in the trees and watch for opportunities to arise for a meal.
I was surprised last weekend to see one dive into one of the flower borders and fly off with a frog dangling from it's talons. Is this unusal behaviour or are frogs a regular food item?

[Colin Key]

Hello Phil,

A Sparrowhawk taking a frog is indeed an unusual sighting. On checking BWPi it would seem (as I thought) that their diet is 99.9+% small birds. They do also take insects (presumably the larger dragonflies) and have been known to actually kill lizards but not eat them.

Colin

[beltonbirder]

here in Suffolk I observe Sparrowhawks frequently on the grazing marshes and have seen them take Grass Snakes and Common Toads and Frogs, Usually they are taken by juveniles, Commonly they (The reps) are taken by Kestrels.
:certifiable: